Aged in the third-use barrels that were once home to Kentucky bourbon and then our renowned Bourbon County Stout, this traditional English-style barleywine possesses the subtlety of flavor that only comes from a barrel that’s gone through many seasons of ritual care. The intricacies of the previous barrel denizens – oak, charcoal, hints of tobacco and vanilla, and that signature bourbon heat – are all present in this beer. Hearty and complex, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine is a titan and a timeline; a bold, flavorful journey through the craft of barrel aging.

Beer: Reviews & Ratings

I am not a huge barleywine guy, but this one was spectacular. There was so much barrel character and the complexity of the flavor was intense. Mine was a 2014 so it was still drinking a little hot, but the overal balance was still great. (237 characters)

Taste: Everything suggested by the smell and then some. Very big bourbon presence up front (which is extremely smooth, virtually no alcohol heat) which transitions into fig, raisin, chocolate covered cherries. Once again just a touch of coffee presence from the residual BCBS in the barrels. Nowhere near enough to come off anything like a stout but enough to add another layer to an already complex barleywine. Finish is more bourbon and dark fruit with a touch of alcohol heat.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, smooth, viscous. Very low carbonation.

Overall: After King Henry I had pretty enormous expectations for this beer, and it was exactly what I hoped it would be. Not quite at level of King Henry, but captures all of the components that were present. Another example of Goose Island's world class skill with barrels. (1,246 characters)

Dank dark fruits like raisons, cherries, and plums on the nose, along with a nice faint bourbon. Taste is outstanding for the style. Again, dark fruits with just enough bourbon to make this a great barleywine. Nice notes of vanilla, oak, and tobacco. Perhaps my favorite BW. (278 characters)

Look: Pitch black body that is more dark brown around the edges. The darker mocha head is thin and very fine. The initial pour created a smallish, skinny head that quickly retreated to a thin film over the top, then to a slim halo around the glass. Lacing is slick. Smell: Bourbon barrel, cherries, prunes, vanilla, bakers chocolate, molasses, and Big Red chew...Very rich aroma. Taste: Big. Bold. Robust. The taste follows the nose. Among the other tastes, dark fruit is apparent. This becomes syrupy as it warms. Feel: Thick and silky in the mouth. Lower level of carbonation. The lather is very thin and fades away smoothly.

amazingly complex beer, its staggering that goose island continue to improve year after year on these world class beers. the barleywine definitely distinguishes it from the original stout and its simply the best barleywine ive ever tasted. (239 characters)

The beer poured a deep opaque brown to black with slight ruby hints and an almost imperceptible head. The pour left some strange whitish oil slick like traces on the top which I found odd but that wasn’t going to stop me from forging through this phenomenal beer. The aroma was very similar to the Bourbon County Stout that was heavy on the bourbon with slight hints of vanilla but mostly Bourbon. The taste had those familiar Bourbon County flavors of Bourbon and vanilla with the slight coconut hints coming at the tail end. Very malty and very bourbon forward the Bourbon County Brand Barelywine is one beast of a beer. Another barrel-aged masterpiece from Goose Island that takes over your palate as it warms and becomes a divine drinking experience. (761 characters)

Innocent and mundane in appearance, the insane raisin-y sweetness smacks you across the face with a solid, almost cloying strength. It was almost enough to turn me off, but the taste comes through very well-balanced in comparison, with loads of sweetness handsomely accompanied by earthy roastiness. A smooth, spicy burn from the alcohol thins the mouthfeel a bit and let's the bourbon really shine. This style isn't something I am in the mood for too often, but this is a damn solid recipe. (491 characters)

2013 bottle.A: Very dark brown with a quite large but fizzy mocha head which doesn't last. No lacing to speak of.S: Smell is sweet and boozy with tons of vanilla, chocolate, ripe and dark fruits. It gets more mellow as it opens, with the vanilla dominating the scent.T: Chocolate, caramel, vanilla, oak, leather, prune and fig. Complex with a good balance but with a quite boozy aftertaste, with ashes and cold tobacco lingering in the back of the throat. It really get better and better as it opens but the booziness also gets more overpowering as it warms up.M: High bodied, with a thick, oily mouthfeel, which fits the style very well. The booziness on the finish is a bit harsh though.O: This is pretty much focused on the barrel treatment (as expected for a bourbon county variant). Very good, not in par with King Henry but still a very enjoyable sipper. (865 characters)

Pours dark golden brown and sits in the glass much darker. Smells the opposite of dead fish. Has an incredible mild fruit taste at the end, this is seriously the best barley wine you will ever have. All fins up. (211 characters)

I was able to try this at the 2015 World Expo of Beer in Frankenmuth, MI the other night. Had BCBS and BC Vanilla Rye to compare it to. This was my least favorite. All three smelled very similar - incredible aroma. I felt this one was a little syrupy for my liking. Overall - still very solid but I preferred the other 2 a lot more. (337 characters)

On tap at Coopers Tavern during Madison Beer Week. Dark brown body with a small head. Big sweet aroma. Very sweet tasting. Hints of dark fruits, oak, some vanilla. Mild bourbon bite. Had this right after Vanilla Rye so it’s tough to appreciate, but still very good. (267 characters)

Damn Jeanna! Poured from a chilled 12oz bottle into a snifter glass. Brownish merlot color that is opaque when held to the light. Minimal head during the pour that quickly dissipated. Smells of fruit, vanilla and sugar sweet grapes or raisins. Beautiful aroma. Tastes like a traditional English barleywine but thick and full in the mouth. Big blast of raisins, vanilla with subtle undertones of bourbon aged in oak barrels. Huge abv and slight burn. Amazingly doesn't taste like bourbon. Sweet. Grapes, raisins and vanilla. Chewy almost. Really complex. Struggling to identify flavors. Really smooth and drinkable for such an abv bomb. One of those "Let's get everyone up in here pregnant" beers. Will definitely acquire more! Got this as an extra for crying out loud! Dang this is good! (805 characters)

2014 vintage. Poured in a snifter, the beer is a very dark, cloudy, opaque, brown coloring with no head. The beer pours thick like liquor. Aromas of rich caramel and molasses forward, solid booze undertone, notes of pineapple and cream, vanilla, woody highlights, and subtle char notes. Very rich and sweet nose. Flavors are richly sweet forward, with a heavy dose of vanilla, molasses, and caramel, all rich and sweet, on a roasted backbone with a booze kick and building warmth. Amazingly balanced, with old world fruit notes of date, plum, and raisin layering on. Woody and bourbon highlights, with some char notes, too. This is layered, yet balanced and super smooth. The body is robust and velvety smooth, with a building warmth adding to the molasses and toffee rich aftertaste. The finish is heavy and smooth, with a sugary sweet and boozy linger. Fantastic beer, and amazingly drinkable despite the depth, weight, and robust flavors. Wow! (946 characters)

2014 vintage poured in a snifter glass. Refrigerated and left at room temperature for 15 minutes before pouring.

A: Dark, dark brown. Hints of ruby at the edges. Brownish head is less than a finger. Some alcohol legs when I swirl.S: Tobacco, caramel, dark fruits, small amounts of chocolate, spiciness, bourbon.T: Slight bitterness with caramel, followed by strong whiskey combined with dark fruits. Tobacco and bourbon in the aftertaste.M: Slight carbonation, coats your mouth. Heavy but smooth.O: Excellent barleywine, made better with bourbon. (551 characters)